Chapter 8: Ceasar in the crosshairs
~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~
Emi had returned to her room in the late afternoon after spending time with Penguin and Sachi. Even Jean Bart had exchanged a few words with her, but their conversation had remained quite superficial.
She really appreciated the company of Penguin and Sachi. Their kindness and teasing had helped her feel a bit less lonely on the ship. However, she constantly reminded herself that she wouldn't stay with them forever and that despite their camaraderie, they were above all pirates.
This thought prevented her from getting too attached to them, even though she would have liked to. She knew that her path would eventually separate from theirs, and she had to remain cautious in her relationships with them.
She was staring at her Den Den Mushi on the small table in her room, lost in thought, wondering when she would finally receive the call from her dear friend, Samuel. She was eager to know what he had discovered about Caesar.
Emi suddenly realized she hadn't seen Bepo all day, wondering where he could have spent his time. Maybe he was busy ensuring the navigation was done safely. Feeling a bit bored waiting in her room for a call that still hadn't come, she put her Den Den Mushi away in her bag and headed toward the front of the submarine, where the navigation room was located.
Emi wondered if she was allowed to enter, but after a moment of hesitation, she gently pushed the door open and entered the room. To her great surprise, she indeed found Bepo in the navigation room, but he was accompanied by... Law. It wasn't that she didn't want to run into him, but she always felt a bit uneasy in his presence, especially after recent events. Law was carefully examining a navigation chart, not really paying attention to Emi's presence.
She observed every detail of the room with curiosity. The walls were covered with control panels, radar screens, and marine charts. In the center of the room was a large table on which marine map, navigation instruments, and communication equipment were laid out.
Complex numbers and symbols scrolled rapidly, providing information on the depth, speed, and direction of the submarine. Emi didn't understand much of it, but she felt fascinated by the sophisticated technology presented to her.
As Emi was absorbed in the room's atmosphere, she was pulled out of her thoughts by Bepo's voice.
"Do you like the navigation room?" Bepo asked, a smile on his furry face.
Emi turned to look at him. "Oh, uh... yes, it's impressive," she replied, a bit embarrassed to have been caught in her thoughts.
Bepo tilted his head slightly, seeming to appreciate her response.
Intrigued by the bear's activities on the submarine, Emi added, "You were here all day?"
Bepo nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining with excitement. "Yes! I've been monitoring the navigation conditions. It's always like this during the first hours at sea, and once the safety is confirmed, I spend less time here!"
Emi smiled, impressed by Bepo's enthusiasm for his work aboard the submarine. She could feel a certain innocence and joy in his way of speaking, which made him even more adorable.
Emi felt a mix of curiosity and respect for the polar bear and his dedication to his captain. She knew that behind his plush appearance was a loyal and devoted crew member. She wondered how Law had managed to earn the respect of his crew.
"Interesting," she commented, leaning slightly to take a closer look at the control panels in front of them. "I suppose you have to be very attentive at all times to avoid underwater dangers."
Bepo smiled, proud to show off his knowledge. "The seas of Paradise can indeed be very dangerous! We have to be constantly vigilant and closely monitor the weather conditions and signs of sea monsters. Sometimes, we even have to change our route to avoid the most dangerous areas."
"And this submarine is capable of navigating in all weather conditions?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Bepo nodded. "Yes, our ship is equipped to face the most extreme weather conditions," he explained. "We have sophisticated sensors that help us predict most storms."
"The majority, huh..." She wondered how these complex systems could be mastered by the entire crew to navigate safely through the dangerous waters of the Grand Line.
Seeing her concern grow, Bepo added reassuringly, "The submarine's hull is nearly indestructible, don't worry! And in case of deep-sea troubles, Bepo and Sachi are here. They're excellent swimmers! Just like me!" he said proudly.
"Excellent swimmers? They did mention growing up in a port in North Blue, that makes sense. Are you also from that sea?"
Bepo shook his head with a smile. "No, I'm from Zou, an island in the New World."
Intrigued, Emi wondered how such a crew had come together, knowing they all came from different places. Curious, she asked, "And where is your Captain from? How did you all meet?"
Law, who had been silently observing from a corner of the room, immediately noticed the change in tone of the conversation. He stood up abruptly and called out to Bepo in an authoritative voice. "Bepo, I need you to check something in the navigation system. Right away."
Bepo quickly agreed, understanding Law's implicit message. "Of course, Captain, I'll go right away," he replied before swiftly leaving the navigation room.
Emi found herself alone with Law, sensing a slight unease settling between them. She wondered what could have caused this sudden shift in atmosphere, realizing perhaps she had asked questions she shouldn't have. Law appeared annoyed. Well, she knew very well why he was irritated; her journalist side sometimes tended to come out a bit too much...
Emi finally spoke up, trying to break the awkward silence. "Well, I guess I'll have to add 'avoid asking too personal questions in the Captain's presence' to my list."
Law remained impassive, his serious expression showing no sign of amusement.
Emi started to feel irritated by Law's seriousness. He really needed to learn to lighten up sometimes, she thought.
Deciding to tease Law a bit to lighten the mood, she added, crossing her arms, "What? Would you prefer me to ask about your hobbies and favorite colors? No thanks, but I'm not interested."
She gave Law an impatient look, hoping he would eventually respond.
After a tense silence, Law set aside the map he had been studying and walked towards her, finally responding in a calm yet firm voice, "It's precisely because I don't trust you to ask appropriate questions that I'd prefer you not ask any questions at all."
"Well, in that case, I guess I'll just have to keep guessing, right?" she retorted, looking at him challengingly.
Law let out a slight sigh. "Continue like that, then, but you won't get anything from them," he responded simply before turning on his heel and leaving the navigation room.
Emi felt the coldness in Law's words, confirming what she already knew: earning his trust would not be easy. But she promised herself to keep asking relevant questions, even if it sometimes meant challenging Law's authority. After all, she was there to get information, no matter the obstacles in her way.
She set herself a deadline of five days, until they reached the next island, to uncover an interesting piece of information that would make a good news article. Emi knew that time was ticking and she had to double her efforts if she wanted to achieve her goal within the allotted time. Once her mission was accomplished, she would find a way to discreetly leave the ship and return to her life as a freelance journalist.
~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~
The day passed relatively quickly for Emi as she continued her discussion about navigation with Bepo. She then enjoyed the fish that Bepo had caught the day before with the other crew members, sharing a simple but delicious meal aboard the submarine.
After dinner, Emi quietly slipped away to the deck of the submarine, seeking a moment of calm to reflect. She took a deep breath of the fresh evening air, appreciating the tranquility around her.
Speaking of tranquility... Emi sensed Law's presence behind her but did not turn around, wanting to savor the moment a bit longer. Had he come to talk to her? Or was he simply seeking the same tranquility she was?
She remained still, savoring the calm of the night, the gentle breeze caressing her face. She hoped this moment of peace would last a little longer, even in the captain's presence.
As silence still enveloped the submarine's deck, Emi's Den Den Mushi suddenly broke the quiet. "Durururu, durururu..." the sound resonated from her satchel.
Emi slightly jumped at the unexpected noise, her moment of tranquility interrupted by the incoming call. She turned to grab the device, casting a glance at Law. He had arrived at just the right moment because it was the Den Den Mushi connected to Sam. She was finally going to get valuable information about Caesar.
Law gestured for Emi to put the Den Den Mushi on speaker so he could hear as well. Emi nodded but discreetly murmured to him, "Not a word."
She didn't want Samuel to discover that she was in the company of Trafalgar Law, a pirate. She knew that if Samuel found out about her current situation, it would raise a ton of questions she wasn't ready to answer. She didn't want to burden herself with explaining the whole story to her friend.
"It was a strawberry cake," Emi said, triggering their secret phrase.
Law wore a curious expression at the codes she tended to choose for communicating with others. It was quite strange to him, but he understood the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of their conversations.
After a brief silence, Samuel responded, "Hey Emi, it's been a while!"
"Sam!" Emi replied enthusiastically. "I missed you. So, what have you discovered?"
Emi wanted to hear the latest news from her journalist friend, but she didn't want to linger on other topics besides information about Caesar in Law's presence. She hoped Samuel would understand her eagerness to get to the main point of their conversation.
Samuel responded without wasting any time: "Apparently, Caesar Clown has been commissioned by Big Mom to research and develop a viable method of gigantification."
Emi furrowed her brow, wondering why Big Mom was so intent on gigantifying people, but she quickly pushed the thought from her mind. This was not the time to get lost in conjecture.
She replied to Samuel, "Another pirate with strange ambitions..."
"You're right..." Samuel replied, his tone tinged with a hint of weariness. He added seriously, "Big Mom often demands updates on his progress. Capturing this information wasn't easy; the Den Den Mushi interferences made the task difficult..."
Emi nodded, understanding the difficulty of the task.
Samuel continued, "On the route between Fish-Man Island and Pique Island, we intercepted a merchant ship carrying chemicals and research equipment. This doesn't rule out the possibility that it's for his activities. But that's not all... We also discovered huge metal plates that seemed to be intended for constructing enormous tanks. I don't know if this is related to his gigantification project, but it doesn't bode well..."
A shiver ran down Emi's spine at the thought of the experiments being prepared with all that equipment. But a more pressing question came to mind: "And where is the ship right now?"
Samuel frowned with a hint of frustration. "They realized they were being followed. They're extremely cautious. Whenever they have the slightest doubt, they stop on islands for a few days or take detours. Currently, they're on Griwl Island."
These pieces of information were a goldmine for Emi. She could never thank her friend enough for this. "Thank you, Sam! This is crucial intel! I owe you one!"
Before hanging up, Samuel reminded her urgently, "Emi, stay safe in this matter. I don't want you taking unnecessary risks. If you need help, don't hesitate to contact me."
Emi nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Sam. I'll be careful, I promise."
Emi hung up and turned to Law, determination gleaming in her eyes. "Law, I need to get to Griwl Island as soon as possible!"
Law observed Emi with a mix of skepticism and interest. "We don't have solid proof that the equipment you mentioned is linked to Caesar. And there's nothing directly proving his presence on the island. It could be a coincidence."
Emi furrowed her brow, understanding Law's caution. It was true they hadn't found concrete evidence linking that equipment to Caesar. However, she couldn't pass up this opportunity. "All the more reason to go check and make sure."
Law fixed Emi with an impassive gaze as he weighed his options. He knew letting Emi go now would likely mean she wouldn't come back. Her temperament and desire for freedom only reinforced that certainty. He could use the information Emi sought about him as leverage to keep her on board, but the thought didn't sit well with him. He wasn't in the mood to bargain with her, especially on such a personal matter.
Moreover, there were only four days left until they reached the next island. According to his calculations, navigating the New World seas would take at least another week. In addition to his reluctance to leave Paradise, Law knew it was already too late to act now. The merchant ship would have already reached its destination by the time Emi was ready to arrive. He was frustrated by this realization but had no choice but to accept the circumstances.
After pondering, Law responded to her seriously, "You won't make it in time."
Despite Law's reluctance, Emi insisted, "With the submarine, we can save time and head straight to Griwl Island. I just need to get an Eternal Pose and it's done!"
But Law categorically refused. He knew it was futile.
Emi realized then that her proposal was probably unachievable within the given timeframe. She bit her lip, disappointed in her own haste.
Thinking quickly, Emi sought a solution that wouldn't take as much time. Suddenly, an idea struck her. Coco. She could fly to Griwl Island and discreetly film the activities there...
With determination in her voice, she finally said to Law, "If I can't go directly, then I'll do it indirectly."
Intrigued by her declaration, Law asked for details, "How do you plan to do that?"
Emi smiled as she pulled out a Den Den Mushi from her satchel and showed it to Law. With this device, she could record videos and livestream them, broadcasting the footage in real-time and obtaining the information she needed. All she had to do was attach it to Coco, and she would receive a live feed of the situation on the ground.
Seeing that Law understood her plan, she added, "Don't underestimate me, Law," a hint of challenge in her gaze.
~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~
Thank you for following this part of the adventure!
Stay tuned for exciting discoveries in the upcoming chapters ~